Time Well Spent

It's almost surreal...I've spent the last 18+ months thinking that I would never finish this master's program at Walden. There have been many challenges along the way, both personally and professionally. There were many times where I just wanted to quit, because it just seemed too hard. But with support from my family, friends, and colleagues- both at Walden and in the workplace, I persevered. This program has taught me many things about myself and about the early childhood field. Here are some of the thing I have learned:

v Building relationships is the key to success. This includes the relationships among children, families, teachers, colleagues, professional organizations, community organizations, politicians and so on. The stronger your network of relationships, the more support you have for yourself and for the children and families that depend on you for high quality programs and experiences.

v Get to know your local and state politicians. Building a relationship with them and getting them to see the whole picture when it comes to helping support children and families can make all the difference.

v Don't be afraid of research. Yes, reading research articles can be intimidating, with all of the statistical information and confusing language. But once you learn to read and interpret current research, you can use it to support your position to improve conditions for children and families everywhere.

v Advocate, Advocate, Advocate. As they say, the squeaky wheel gets the grease. When you believe in something and have the data to back it up, don't stand quietly on the sidelines. All it takes is for someone to care about an issue and to speak on it passionately to get others to join the mission. Sonia Johnson, American Feminist activist and writer said it well when she said that "We must remember that one determined person can make a significant difference and that a small group of determined people can change the course of history." So if you see something you don't feel is right, speak up, and change history!

v Never underestimate the value of reflection and self examination. Sometimes a problem begins with you and your views, and not with others. Always stop and think about what you think about a problem or issue and about the reasons why you think that way. Ask yourself, am I showing bias? If so, why? What can I do to change my thinking?

 

My long term goal is to continue to engage in continuous self reflection so that I can always improve my teaching. I would like to ensure that every child and family sees their unique identity reflected in the classroom environment, creating a sense of belonging and feeling of acceptance.

 

I am grateful for the support and feedback I have received from my colleagues at Walden and from my dedicated instructors. Your comments, opposing viewpoints, constructive criticism, and agreements have given me valuable information about when I need to reexamine things or when I am on the right track. Thank you all for everything, and I wish everyone continued success in their future endeavors. Anyone wishing to remain in contact is welcome to contact me at celesteguinazu@gmail.com. I look forward to working with any of my Walden colleagues on future projects, so that we may make this world a better place for children and families.

 

 

 

 

Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I understand.” – Chinese proverb

 

 

 

Exploring Jobs and Roles in the ECE Community on an International Level

CLASP International

One organization that I found during my exploration of the international community of early childhood is called CLASP International. CLASP stands for Connective Link Among Special Needs Programs. This organization provides university level training services to developing countries in an effort to improve the quality of life for individuals living in those countries with disabilities (http://claspinternational.org). They focus primarily on Speech Therapy, due to the enormous benefits of helping children and adults with disabilities learn to communicate with loved ones, and to overcome the effects of chronic malnourishment by learning to strengthen and build the muscles and coordination necessary for swallowing food.

As a longtime advocate for individuals with disabilities and an early childhood professional with a passion for special education students, I was intrigued by the dedication and efforts of this valuable organization to advocate for those unable to advocate for themselves on an international level. Many people with disabilities are not valued in other countries, and are even viewed as a curse,  which leads to abuse and a life of isolation when parents keep them hidden. According to CLASP, during an informal survey conducted in Zambia, statements like "Children with disabilities are a waste of resources." were heard time and time again. As an early childhood professional who sees the value of every child, and looks for the strengths in every child, this type of comment really upsets me.

Currently, CLASP has no job opportunities available, but does list instances where professionals are needed to go on trips to supervise university students. Unfortunately, early childhood professionals are not on that list. Professionals such as speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists and physical therapists are on this list. If CLASP ever added early childhood educator to this list, I would be very interested in going. To make this trip successful, following their guidelines and ensuring that during the trip you are mindful and respectful of cultural differences would be very important. Providing families with culturally relevant education that would help them support their child's learning would also be an important skill.

Association for Childhood Education International

The second organization I explored was the Association for Childhood Education International. This organization is a community of practice made up of individuals and organizations from all over the globe dedicated to supporting the optimal education, development and well being of children worldwide through the sharing of knowledge, research, and perspectives to improve the lives of children and families through sound policy making and advocacy as well as sound teaching practices.

I was interested in this group because they are able to access timely information about early childhood education and the strides made to improve access and quality for children all over the world, which is part of my challenge for my Capstone Project.

This organization did not list any job opportunities available, however it did list the fact that they accept interns and also volunteers. Someone with an open mind to learning the myriad ways different countries and cultures support early learning and education would be successful here. Another essential skill would be excellent communication skills.

International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect

This organization's mission is to increase awareness of child abuse and neglect and to determine causes of and solutions to ending all forms of child abuse and neglect on a global scale. Supporting individuals and organizations that work to protect children from abuse and neglect is their mission.

I was interested in this organization because I believe that no child ever deserves to be abused or neglected, no matter what they did to anger their parent/caregiver. Children should be allowed to grow up in an environment where they are safe, secure and feel loved and cared for in every way.

This organization did not list any current job opportunities. Someone working in this organization would need to be able to communicate effectively with a diverse group of individuals and organizations, apply knowledge, experience, and new research to varying situations and make training programs that are designed to prevent child abuse or treat it culturally responsive.

References

Association for Childhood Education International. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.acei.org

CLASP International. (2015). Retrieved from http://claspinternational.org

International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ispcan.org

Jobs and Roles in the Early Childhood Education Community at the National/Federal Level

There are many different national and federal organizations geared towards supporting early childhood education. One we are all familiar with is the National Association for the Education of Young Children, also known as NAEYC. But how much do we know about other organizations that exist? Here is some information about other national organizations and how they are important to the field of early childhood education.

The Association for Early Learning Leaders is formerly known as the National Association of Child Care Professionals. Their goal is to strengthen the leadership in early care programs, such as directors and owners, by developing their knowledge, skills and abilities regarding enhancing program quality. This is done through networking and collaboration, training, education, program quality improvements and accreditation, and access to a variety of resources. There were no job postings listed for this organization. This organization interested me because it would have been very helpful to know of the existence of this organization when I served as the director of a child care center in my community. It would have provided me with resources to support my professional development as well as the professional development of my staff, and would have probably helped prevent some of the burnout I experienced as it  developed my leadership skills.

Another organization of note is the Zero to Three National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families. This organization provides parents, professionals and policymakers the knowledge necessary to nurture early development. This organization funds a variety of projects geared toward supporting each of these groups. Parent resources are provided in written and video format and are easy to understand and apply. Their email newsletter is geared specifically to the age of your child when you sign up for its receipt. Initiatives are also in place to support early childhood professionals to ensure a quality workforce capable of meeting the diverse needs of children and families. Information provided to policymakers is research based and is combined and dispersed to educate policymakers about the significance of early learning on brain development. Current career vacancies include Senior Policy Analyst  and Senior Research Analyst, neither of which interest me because they would be more suited to someone interested in advocacy work rather than in direct teaching with children and families. Both of these positions require a Master's degree or above and are located in Washington, DC. This organization interested me because I am the parent of a toddler and also because I am interested in working with children under the age of three and their families.

The next organization I learned about is Child Care Aware of America. This organization is dedicated to providing families with information about the components of quality early care and education, and with helping families find quality programs in their community. This organization also provides child care providers with access to resources for their child care programs. One interesting position available that was posted on their website was one for a Child Care Specialist, whose job it is to provide technical assistance, training and monitoring to the Maryland Family Network's EHS delegate programs. If a position like this was available in my home state of Connecticut I would be very interested in it. I would not apply for this particular position because I am not willing or able to make the sacrifices necessary in my personal life to move my family to Maryland. This position requires a master's degree in early childhood, as well as knowledge of child care with direct child care experience. This position requires the ability to travel statewide freely and to communicate well with others in written and verbal form.

Another organization that interested me was the Division of Early Childhood. According to their website, their mission is to promote "policies and advances evidence-based practices that support and enhance the optimal development of young children (0-8) who have or at risk for developmental delays and disabilities." This organization interested me because of my interests in early childhood special education.

 

References

Association for Early Learning Leaders. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.earlylearningleaders.org/

Child Care Aware of America. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.usa.childcareaware.org

Division of Early Childhood. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.dec-sped.org/

Zero to Three: National Center for Infants, Toddlers and Families. (2014). Retrieved from http://www.zerotothree.org/

Exploring Roles in the ECE Community: Local and State Levels

I was very excited to do this assignment because I have wanted to explore more about early childhood in my hometown, local area and state and the organizations and opportunities that already exist. One of the reasons this excited me is because my home state of Connecticut established the Connecticut Office of Early Childhood (OEC) in 2013, with the intention "to coordinate and improve the various early childhood programs and components in the state to create a cohesive high-quality early childhood system." (www.ct.gov/oec). They are divided into four sections, which are Early Care and Education, Licensing, Early Intervention, and Family Support Services. The establishment of this organization at the state level appealed to me because as an early childhood educator and student at Walden University, like many other ECE professionals, I know the importance of quality early childhood programs for all children, and am glad someone is finally recognizing this at the state level!

This led me to explore the Connecticut Birth to Three System, which provides services to support the development of children in this age group who have been identified by parents, caregivers, or physicians as struggling developmentally in one or more areas. A special educator at heart, I was especially drawn to their job opportunities of Early Childhood Special Education Teacher (for which I am currently certified) and Early Intervention Specialist. Knowing there are opportunities for me to make a difference for children and their families outside the public school systems and specifically with children with atypical development is especially interesting, since I find this type of work simultaneously challenging yet rewarding.

I also found the Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance, which is a statewide membership and advocacy organization committed to improving young children's outcomes in several areas, such as learning, health, safety, and economic security. They encompass all of early childhood, from birth through age eight.

I have had experience working with professionals who are part of the Early Childhood Consultation Partnership, another program for young children and families. This program is a strengths based, mental health consultation program developed to meet the social/emotional needs of children birth to age five. They provide services and consultations for early childhood care providers, educators, and families. I am interested in learning more about how to become a consultant for this program, because of the wonderful experiences I had with them when I worked in a program who served a child and family who required their services. My experience was so positive I would almost consider more coursework if necessary!

Finally, I also found the SEEDS network, which is an organization created to support the needs of early childhood educators, administrators, child care providers, advocates, and parents who work with or have children birth through age five. I have attended professional development opportunities presented by this organization and have found them helpful for both information and for expanding professional contacts.

I look forward to exploring each of these organizations websites further and the services they provide. Learning more about where I can focus my passions as a career is also a welcome component.

 

References

Connecticut Birth to Three System. Retrieved from www.birth23.org

Connecticut Early Childhood Alliance. Retrieved from earlychildhoodalliance.com

Connecticut Office of Early Childhood. Retrieved from www.ct.gov/oec

Early Childhood Consultation Partnership. Retrieved from www.eccpct.com

The Seeds Network. Retrieved from theseedsnetwork.com.

            

My hopes for the future as an early childhood professional, and for the children and families with whom I will work

It is my greatest hope that all children will grow, develop and learn in an environment that affirms their self identity. Children should feel welcomed, accepted and nurtured by their families, school and community. My hope is for current and future early childhood educators to learn to recognize and respond to children's curiosity and questions about others and their differences, and to learn to approach those differences not as something to be afraid of, but as something to embrace and enjoy, because those differences are what make us beautiful. Jimmy Carter (39th President of the United States and Nobel Peace Prize Recipient) once said that "We have become not a melting pot, but a beautiful mosaic. Different people, different beliefs, different yearnings, different hopes, different dreams." While many of these hopes and dreams may differ on the surface, many parents have a common hope and dream for their child to grow up healthy, strong and successful, by whatever means their culture uses to define these characteristics. It is also my hope that educators regardless of whether they work in early childhood or with older students, learn to put aside their prejudices and foster the growth and development of all students and families. Henry David Thoreau once said that "It is never too late to give up our prejudices.", and I believe that he is right. While it may never be too late, it is a long journey that requires commitment, dedication and deep reflection about why you think a certain way, and the action plan necessary to change that thinking. These are my hopes for the future as an early childhood professional.

Notable Quotes

If tolerance, respect and equity permeate family life, they will translate into values that shape societies, nations and the world.
—Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations (1997-2007)

 

We may have different religions, different languages, different colored skin, but we all belong to one human race.
- Kofi Annan

 

Diversity is not about how we differ. It is about embracing one another's uniqueness.
—Ola Joseph, Nigerian author and inspirational speaker

 

No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.
—Nelson Mandela, Former President of South Africa and Nobel Peace Prize Recipient

 

When I am able to resist the temptation to judge others,
I can see them as teachers.
- Gerald Jampolsky

 

Children Learn What They Live
By Dorothy Law Nolte, Ph.D.

                             
If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.
If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.
If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.
If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.
If children live with ridicule, they learn to feel shy.
If children live with jealousy, they learn to feel envy.
If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.
If children live with encouragement, they learn confidence.
If children live with tolerance, they learn patience.
If children live with praise, they learn appreciation.
If children live with acceptance, they learn to love.
If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.
If children live with recognition, they learn it is good to have a goal.
If children live with sharing, they learn generosity.
If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness.
If children live with fairness, they learn justice.
If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect.
If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them.
If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live.

Copyright © 1972 by Dorothy Law Nolte

 

Finally, I would like to close with a note of sincere thanks to all of my colleagues this term at Walden. We have learned much from each other, and I hope to take my learning back to the classroom and use it to enrich the lives of others. Thank you for sharing your thoughts, inspiration, and experiences. Seeing things from other perspectives and listening to others who have dealt with challenging situations is inspiring. Good luck to everyone in our final course at Walden, I wish everyone the best of luck in the future!

 

Impacts on Early Emotional Development

We have been learning about the many challenges that face children in early childhood, including but not limited to poverty, war, terrorism, abuse and other forms of trauma. For our assignment this week I chose to explore the regional office website of the Central and Eastern Europe Commonwealth of Independent States section of the UNICEF website. I chose this area of the world due to two main factors: first, because many of the children I work with on a daily basis have ethnic ties to this group of countries, some with relatives still living there; and secondly because of the recent turmoil and unrest facing this area of the world, particularly Ukraine. Children in this region of the world are facing challenges related to poverty, war, and lack of access to education. Many families have parents who are unemployed and must rely on social welfare to help meet their daily needs. This social welfare does not meet many of the family's basic needs, including food, adequate shelter with heat, and adequate winter clothing. Children are living in bomb shelters without access to basic sanitation, heat, and education. Many children can only attend school two days a week at the most, leaving many gaps in their studies and negatively impacting their social, emotional and cognitive development. Children and families are living in constant fear about whether or not they will survive, if they will have enough food, how they will stay warm, and if and when their regular routine regarding school attendance will resume. According to UNICEF, there are nearly 1 million people in Ukraine displaced by the conflict, including more than 130,000 children (www.unicef.org). Children in Serbia are not faring much better, due to the widespread flooding that has displaced many families and children. Children here are living in poverty and their families do not have the resources to provide adequate food, shelter, clothing, winter gear (such as boots) and school materials.

Emotionally, all of these situations seem to be taking a severe emotional toll on children. The constant stress of day to day survival is something many people who have not experienced war and/or poverty have difficulty relating to. Children's studies and future development as productive citizens is at risk due to the uncertainty of the outcome of this conflict and children's inconsistent access to education.

As I think about what I have read about children and families living in this part of the world, I cannot help but be thankful for the fact that I can provide adequate food, shelter, warmth and access to education for my family, and that generally children and families in my area can do the same. We are fortunate to be able to send our children to school on a consistent basis (comparatively, since we have lost several days to snow). We do not have the stress of war in our country. Professionally, as I have read more about the experiences of children and families in this region, I feel I can be more sensitive to their needs and be ready to provide the resources they need to provide for their families if I encounter children and families who have recently arrived to this country from this region. Connecting children and families with other families who speak the same language, can be extremely helpful. Connecting families to community resources who can assist in locating and affording adequate shelter, heating and food while the family members search for work, and navigate which jobs they are qualified for based on their experience and education is also an important facet of helping families transition to life in the United States.

References
(2011). Retrieved from: http://www.unicef.org/ceecis

The Sexualization of Early Childhood

For a long time, I have held a strong opinion that today's children simply are not allowed to enjoy the innocence of childhood. Children are constantly exposed to messages about sex and violence from a very young age, and these messages are confusing and scary for children (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009). As I read our course readings that discussed this issue this week, I found myself aligning with Levin and Kilbourne (2009) and did not want to stop reading when the introduction to the book ended. I may have to put this book on my "To read soon" list, since this is an issue I think children struggle with at increasing rates every day. The messages children receive from movies, television shows, popular video games, and toys sends the message that for girls to be feminine, they must be beautiful, thin, and sexy and that their accomplishments and intellect do not matter (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009). This is an extremely narrow definition of femininity, and is one that needs to be contradicted strongly and with great urgency. Similarly, a narrow definition of masculinity is being conveyed, with messages that to be manly you must engage in acts that demonstrate physical prowess, insensitivity, and even violent behavior (Levin & Kilbourne, 2009). Children learn that to fit in they must conform to these rigid ideals, and many struggle to fit in. They learn that relationships should be based on sex and do not have to contain emotions, attachment, love or friendship. This is extremely detrimental to children's development because it takes away from other developmental tasks children need for healthy development.

To illustrate children's exposure to a highly sexualized environment, I offer the following examples:

1) Elementary school students in our district, ages 6 through 10,  have demonstrated the acceptance of these rigid gender roles. Girls discount their intelligence, accomplishments, and even their athletic performance in favor of dressing provocatively (I've seen girls as young as third grade in shorts and skirts that left nothing to the imagination, and make comments about how beautiful and sexy they look), wearing makeup.

2) Children's movies and television shows sensationalize male choice and female sacrifice. This is further illustrated in the discussion of children's Disney movies in Lee (2008). Disney movies such as The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Aladdin sensationalize male choice in life and women's sacrifice. Women do not hold leadership roles. Even in the three Toy Story movies, that tries to portray a strong female character (Jessie), she takes a backseat to the male characters in the story, and sexual relationships are suggested between Jessie and Buzz, and of course Barbie and Ken.

3) This leads me to children's toys and games. Video games are increasingly violent and desensitize children to violence. Barbie and Ken (by Mattel) show impossible to obtain physiques that lead to feelings of inadequacy for children that extend into teenage years and adulthood. In the relationship between Barbie and Ken, appearance is significant. Barbie is beautiful, fashionable, slender, and portrayed as someone who does not think for herself. Ken, also attractive, well dressed, and very masculine, is more powerful.

This is not the messages we want to send to our children. We want them to grow up to be healthy adults capable of engaging in healthy, fulfilling relationships that contain key elements such as friendship, trust, love, and being true to yourself.

Therefore, as early childhood professionals, we must reduce the negative impacts of the media on children by engaging children in discussions that center on gender equity and fairness. We can also observe children's play, and encourage children to engage in activities that  are not typical for those assigned to their gender. For example, Derman-Sparks and Edwards (2010) recommends observing children's activities during free choice time, and making sure girls are engaging in activities such as blocks and building or other action activities that are typically dominated by boys, and boys are engaging in puzzles, dramatic play, art and small manipulative materials typically dominated by girls.

References

Derman-Sparks, L., & Olsen Edwards, J. (2010). Anti-bias education for young children and ourselves. Washington, D.C.: National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

Lee, L. (2008). Understanding gender through Disney’s marriages: A study of young Korean immigrant girls. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(1), 11-18.

 

Levin, D. E., & Kilbourne, J. (2009). [Introduction]. So sexy so soon: The new sexualized childhood and what parents can do to protect their kids (pp. 1-8). New York: Ballantine Books. Retrieved from: http://dianeelevin.com/sosexysosoon/introduction.pdf